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Launch of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform

The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) has been developed by the Global Green Growth Institute, OECD, UNEP, and World Bank, to help governments design and implement green growth policies. The GGKP was launched and held its inaugural conference on 11-13 January 2012 in Mexico City. Leading scholars on green growth issues, policy makers, practitioners, international organisations and NGO representatives met to discuss key topics related to green growth, including innovation, trade, natural resource management, infrastructure and urban development, employment, ecosystem resilience, human behaviour, and welfare measurement.

The conference took stock of current knowledge on green growth and how available research can contribute to understanding and implementing different aspects of green growth.

Participants discussed the priority of the various themes for advancing knowledge and practice concerning green growth, reviewing key knowledge gaps and challenges for each of the themes. The outcomes of the conference will be available shortly. The conference papers are available under the ‘Documents’ tab (not to be cited without the express permission of the authors).

Cities are home to over half of the world’s population and characterise many of today’s environmental challenges. Central government policy alone cannot ensure a green transition - cities and regions can also be catalysts for environmental policy solutions. National, regional and local policy makers have pursued urban, regional and rural development through initiatives that seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase resource efficiency while beginning to steer their economies out of the global financial crisis.

Experimentation and learning at the local level can provide essential experience and, when successful, lead to bottom-up diffusion of approaches between cities and regions as well as to influence national and even international levels of actions.

Co-ordinating governance issues can help achieve the most cost-effective option in attaining green growth, particularly in the areas of green investment and innovation. In co-ordination with national, regional and local governments, the OECD has been working to bridge the current divide between achievement of ambitious environmental goals and economic development. Read more about greening cities and regions.

Green Growth in action: Korea

In 2012, the OECD website will feature green growth initiatives in different countries. This month, the focus is on Korea, which has been at the forefront of green growth policy. The National Strategy for Green Growth (2009-2050) and Five-Year Plan (2009-2013) of Korea provide a comprehensive policy framework for green growth in both the short and long term. Under the plan, the government will spend approximately 2% of annual GDP on green growth programs and projects. Investments will initially be geared towards infrastructure systems in order to boost the economy. Over time, the government aims to become a leading exporter in green research and technology.

In line with this plan, Korea has passed a USD 30.7 billion stimulus package aimed to support its green ambitions, including renewable energy resources, energy efficient buildings, expanding railway systems and improving waste management. Projected benefits include increased employment in green sectors, improved income and energy security as well as significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Read more about green growth in action.

Upcoming seminar on demographic change and local development

Thursday 2 February 2012, 11.30 – 13.00, OECD Conference Centre, Paris
In this seminar on “Disrupted Local Development: Climate change, Sudden Shrinkage and Reconstruction”, Professor Ed Blakely will address the daunting issues associated with the loss of community spirit and the overwhelming issues associated with sudden demographic change and the disruption of the local and regional economy post disaster. He will draw primarily from New Orleans but describe experiences in other places like Oakland, California and post 9-11 New York where the local community were hard hit, exacerbating social and economic inequities and what steps he believes have to be taken not only to rebuild but to reposition communities and their economies post disaster. To register, email Malika.Taberkane@oecd.org. For more information, see Local scenarios of demographic change.

Recent events

On 13-15 December 2011, the OECD and the Asian Development Bank hosted a Workshop on Sustainable Water Management for Food Security, in Bogor, Indonesia. This event aimed to advance policy and institutional reforms related to water resources and quality in agriculture, and focused on the challenges posed by climate change and the implications for food security.

Hosted on 5-6 December 2011 by the government of Cape Verde, the Sahel and West Africa Forum was dedicated to renewable energy challenges within the context of South-South co-operation, in particular with Brazil. Discussions contributed to exchange country-level experiences and information on West Africa’s regional strategy for developing renewable energy sources.